Creative Outreach Grant Recipients

2017

Natalie Dickerson (School Librarian at St. Michael School, Independence, Ohio) - "Updating a Civil Rights Collection in an Elementary School Library"

2016

Roxanne Price - "Discovering One Another Through Literary Works"

Traci May - "Fun in the Sun Book Club: Bridging the Reading Gap Using Multicultural Books During Summer Break"

2015

Kelly Baldwin and Brianna Foraker - "Multicultural Literacy in Early Childhood: Building a library of multicultural literature for the Child Development Center community"

Elizabeth Strauss - "Folklore Around the World: A Multicultural Story Hour"

2014

Kay Hones - "Rock-A-Bye Reading"

Kerry Sutherland - "Engaging Art: A Multicultural Event"

2013

Mary Ann Stahr (Library Media Specialist, Green High School, Green, Ohio) - “People Who Fly”:  Beginning with The People Could Fly, students will follow civil rights chronologically through literature in the United States from slavery to the present. The high-quality literature and informational texts will be available to all students by unlimited access to eBooks.

2012

Ana McConnell (Teacher, Centerville Elementary School, Virginia Beach, Va.) - “One World”:  To develop an awareness of diverse cultures within our school by developing lessons based on multicultural literature and experiences of students and staff.

Mia L. Buggs (DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, Ga.) - “When Tribes Meet: The History of Black Native Americans”:  This program will draw attention to the blending of Native American and African American cultures through literature, dance and food and will bring families from the community together for a time of reflection and awareness of their cultural backgrounds.

2011

Eva Sullivan (Language Arts Teacher, McKinley Elementary School, Poland, Ohio) - “Oppression is Universal: A Multimedia Primer for Social Justice”: For students to develop a perspective of themes that cross cultural bounds, such as slavery, violation of human rights, and child rights and to develop an understanding that we have a humanitarian responsibility to take action.

Shamekia Chandler (Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, Cleveland Hts., Ohio) - “If the Slipper Fits": An opportunity for children and parents in Cleveland Heights to celebrate a well-known and beloved fairy tale, while celebrating multicultural children’s literature.

2010

Gloria Adams (Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library, Stow, Ohio) - “Helping Hands Peace Project": Using multicultural literature to demonstrate how cultures have promoted sharing and cooperation using the vehicle of storytelling.

Gail Zachariah (Head of Youth and Community Services, Keene Public Library, Keene, N.H.) - “Stories from the Heart": To learn about the horrors of slavery and the struggle for freedom as portrayed in both African American folktales and Slave Narratives.

2009

Cynthia Horsfall (Director of Library and Media, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) - "Promote Multicultural Awareness at the Library": Using the library collection, programs, interesting displays and fun contests to promote multicultural awareness.

Willena Jackson (Teacher, Akron Public Schools, Akron, Ohio) - “I Define Me": Strategies and suggestions to encourage educators to strengthen their own identity and create a program for students in their building using multicultural literature.

2008

Barbara White (Highland Square Branch Library, Akron, Ohio) - “Encountering Story, Finding Voice": A new collaboration between the Highland Square Branch Library and Portage Path Elementary School.

Dorie Raybuck and Judy Crist (Language Arts Teachers, East Jessamine Middle School, Nicholasville, Ky.) - “Community of Colorful Cultures": Culture centers – Asian, Latino, Appalachian, African American, Ukrainian and Russian.

2007

Jacqueline Dukes (Teacher, Hudson Elementary School, Hudson, Ohio) - “History Through Our Stories": Teaching Native American history with an Arapaho man and an Ojibwa woman sharing stories and crafts.

Sherry Mooers (Coldwater High School, Coldwater, Miss.) - “The Many Faces of Our World": Integrating multicultural literature across the curriculum.

2006

Stacy Simonyi and Amy Hartman (Tri-County Career Center, Nelsonville, Ohio) - “Helping Appalachian Students in Southeastern Ohio to Experience Diversity through Quality Multicultural Literature”

Dana Hill (Taft Middle School, Plain Local Schools, Canton, Ohio) - “The Underground Railroad and the House of Dies Drear”